Garment hanger



w. F. THOMPSON ETAL 2,393,074

GARMENT-HANGER Filed Nov. 2, '1942 2 Sheets-Sheet i Ennentors WA 7 Jam 195461 w. F. YTHOMPSONETIYAL 2,393,974

. GARMENT HANGER Filed NOV. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Gttomeg Patented Jan. 15, 1946 zone GARMENT HANGER Willis F. Thompson, Portland, Maine, and Albert R. Speare, Weston, Mass, assignors to The Alden'speares Sons 60., Cambridge, Mass., a

corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationNoven-lber 2, 1942, Serial No. 464,27

Claims.

Thisapplication isa continuation in partof our application'Serial No. 444,750 filed May 27, 1942.

The invention relates to an improvement in garment hangers, and the essential object of the invention is to' provide a garment hanger, including its hook, in which the use of metal is made unnecessary, although the hook may be made of metal if desired; at the .same time to provide a garment hanger possessing all necessary attributes of strength, rigidity, finish, and economy of structure.

More specifically theiinvention centers around those portions of the hanger adjacent itshoo-k, and the manner in which the hook, when in place, i made to unite with these portions.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a'garment hanger embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section through the apex of the hanger.

Fig. 3 is a fractional plan of the tongued ends of the bars with which the hook makes engagement when disconnected.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation in enlarged detailoi the apex of the hanger with the hook removed.

Fig. 5 is a cross section through the apex of the hanger showing a modified construction.

Fig.6 is a side elevation inenlarged detail :of

the apex of the hanger with the hook removed showing a modified construction.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section through the apex of the hanger showinga modified construction in that the top bars are provided with shortened tongues.

Fig. 8 is like Fig. .7 excepting that only one of the top bars is provided with a tongue.

Fig.1!) is a longitudinal cross section showing a construction in which the aligned :slots or openings, through which the hook passes, are formed only inthe tongues.

Fig. 10 is a longitudinal cross sectionshowing a construction in which the tongues are eliminated.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal-cross section showin a construction in which thereare no tongues, and noslots or openings in the top bars'through wluch the hook passes.

Referring to the drawings: the body of the hanger comprises a bottom cross-bar I, and top bars 2 and 3, respectively. The top bars connect with the ends of the crossbar, with angular extension upwardly and inwardly therefrom, to overlie the cross bar. 4 isthe hook by which the body of the hanger is supported.

The bars 1, 2 and 3 of'the hanger are made of strong paper such as kraft paper, or they may be made of cardboard. They present a unitary structure-the bars 2 and *3 being preferably bent up from the ends of the cross bar I out of a single piece. In order to have the necessary strength and rigidity the bar each comprise an intermediate section 5, with relatively deep flanges 6 dependent'from the sides thereof. In the completed structure all the flanges have downward projection from the intermediate sections to which they are connected. With the flanges having this downward projection, and with the arms 2 and 3 :bentfrom a single unitary sheet, it-is necessary that the blank from which the bars are made be specially preformed. as'is well'known to those skilled in the'art.

The hook 4 is preferably made of vulcanized fibre, or'fibre board, and is died out from fiat, relatively thick stock in order that the hook may have necessary rigidity and strength. The shank l of thehook is made relatively wide, and at the bottom the shank is extended by a foot 8. This foot is appreciably longer in its width than the width of the shank l of the hook. It has spaced oppositely inclined top edges ,9 and Ill, respectively. The inclination of these edges is substantially that of the inclination of the bars 2 and 3 in the completed hanger. At the inner ends of the inclined edges 9 and I0, immediately adjacent its .foot the shank of the hook is provided with notches l l and 12 which presentedges overlying the top edges 9 and I 0, respectively, and separately cooperating with these respective'edges to provide separate 2-point bearings, one above and one below. The 'foot '8 is, also, provided at either end with upstanding fingers l3 and |l3,'respectively, which rise from the respective inclined edges 9 and. mat points outwardly removed from the notches H and I2.

The intermediate sections/5 of each of the bars 2 and 3, at the free ends of 'these bars, is extended by tongues; the intermediate section 5 to thebar 2 being extended by a tongue l5 extending from the end [6 of its intermediate section,

" and the intermediate section 5 to the bar 3 by a tongue I! extending from the end I 8 of its intermediate section. Thus each tongue projects beyond the ends of the side flanges ES to the bar from which the tongue extends. At the junction between the tongue and the body of the bar the stock is preferably creased in order that the tongue may be angularly bent in relation to the bar body without distortion.

Cut within each of these tongues, with extension into the end of the intermediate section 5 is a longtiudinal slot or opening 20. Each of these openings 2|] lies substantially one-half part within the tongue and one-half part within the adjacent intermediate section of the bar. The length of each of these openings is substantially equal to the full width of the shank 1 of the hook.

Formed in each of the intermediate sections 5 .of the respective bars 2 and .3 at a point rearward of and removed from the opening 20 in the end of the bar, in aligmnent therewith, is a hole 2|. Formed, also, in each of the tongues I5 and H, forward of and removed from the opening 20 in the tongue, in alignment therewith, is a hole 22.

The assembly is as follows:

The free ends of the inclined top bars 2 and 3 are brought together, with the free ends to the flanges 6 on the :bar 3 fitting inside the free ends of the flanges 6 on the bar 2, with the tongue l5 on the bar 2 underlapping the end portion to the intermediate section 5 of the bar 2, and with the tongue I! on the bar 3 overlapping the end portion to the intermediate section 5 of the bar 2. With the parts thus disposed the free ends of the intermediate sections of the respective bars will meet in a finished apex. The end IE to the intermediate section 5 of the bar 2 will then engage the ends of the flanges 6 of the bar 3 adja cent to and beneath the end l6 of the intermediate section 5 of the bar 2 at the root of the overlapping tongue I! to the bar 3 adjacent its end 18. (See Fig. 4.) The openings 20 in the respective bars 2 and 3 and their respective tongue extensions positions centrally disposed within the apex. The holes 2| in the intermediate section 5 of the respective bars 2 and 3 will occupy aligned positions with the holes 22 in the tongues on the respective bars. The parts are now in position to receive the hook. The tip of the hook is first passed through the aligned openings 20 and afterwards the-shank I of the hook passes through these aligned openings. The passage of the shank I of the hook throughthe aligned openings 20 can only be accomplished by a more or less forcible pull, owing to the fact that, while the openings 20, in the fiat'as out, are substantially equal in length to the full-width of the shank, yet in the assembled hanger, owing to the fact that they are cut in parts then angularly arranged in an apex, the length of the openings 20 will become relatively lessened when measured horizontally. Consequently the draw of, the shank of the hook through the openings in the parts thus angularly arranged will necessarily be a, forcible draw, but is easily accomplished owing .to the slight give in the material due to its nature.

The passage of the shank through the aligned openings 20 will continue until the inclined top edge 9 of the foot of the hook .will engage the intermediate section 5 of the bar 2, and the inclined top edge ID of the foot will engage the tongue IE to the bar 2, which tongue is then underlapping the intermediate section of the bar 3. When the inclined topedgesof the foot are thus in engagement with the ends of the top bars, these bars willhave entered the notches II and I2 of the footand be heldbetween the inclined edges 9. 10 of the foot and the overlying edges of the notches ll, 12, whichact to hold. down theengaging parts. At the same time the fingers l3 and M on the foot will'have entered and passed through the holes in the respective bars and tongue. The finger l3 on the foot will then pass [5 and I1 willthen occupy aligned through the aligned holes 2! and 22, one in the intermediate section of the bar 2, and the other in the tongue I! to the bar 3, which tongue is then occupying overlapping relationship to the intermediate section of the bar 2. The finger M on the foot will then pass through the aligned holes 2! and'22, one in the bar 3 and the other in the tongue l5 on the bar 2, which tongue is then occupying an inside underlying relationship to the intermediate section of the bar 3. The fingers on the foot will function not only to connect the ends of the bars 2 and 3, but will hold their ends in proper relation to co-ordinate with the notches in the hook whereby not only will the hook be held in place, but the ends of the top bars will be held so as not to become free of the fingers.

If desired the tongued ends of the bars, which are thus assembled to form an apex, may be treated'with some well known type of adhesive capable of adhering to itself, but not to a paper or cardboard. In such case the top side of the tongue l5, and the portion of the under surface of the bar 3 which is underlapped by this tongue, will bear such type of adhesive. Likewise the under surface of the tongue l1, and that portion of the top surface of the bar 2 against which this tongue has bearing, will likewise bear a coating of the adhesive, so that when these parts are brought together they will adhere to one another. Such a construction is illustrated in Fig. 5 where 23 represents the adhesive bond between these various parts.

In Fig. 6 the ends to the flanges on the top bars do not overlap, but simply meet. Thei overlapping assembly, however, is the more desirable, especially when relatively thin stock is being used, as the overlap adds to the rigidity of the structure.

7 The tongues on the free ends of the respective top bars may be made short, as shown in Fig. Z. Thus the necessity of forming holes in these tongues, for the fingers on the foot to pass through, is avoided. In such case the fingers, while passing through the holes in the bars, will simply pass by the ends of the tongues.

Providing the foot of the hook with upstanding fingers l3, M, which pass through holes in the respective bars, enables the assembly to be'more or less abbreviated, if such be desired, especially when the fingers are considered in the lightof holding the bars together, and enabling proper engagement to be made by the top bars with the notches H and 12 in the shank of the hook.

Thus in Fig. 8 the assembly is provided with but one tongue, preferably the tongue H on the top bar 3.

In Fig. 9 the ends of the top bars do not meet in an apex, but the tongues 15 and II are brought forward to overlap one another, and the aligned openings 20, through which the hook passes, are formed only in the tongues. In such a construction the fingers on the foot of the hook in engagement with the top bars will hold the assemblage in proper conjunctive relation to the notches H and I2 in the shank of the hook as previously explained.

In Fig. 10 a construction m shown in which the tongues are entirely eliminated. The ends of the top bars meet in an apex; and the opening 29, through which the hook passes, is formed sub stantially one-half part Within the end ofv each top bar. Here the fingers on the hook act tohold the ends of the top bars, at the ends of the slot opening 20 through which the hook passes, in

e parts including overlapping necting the e nds to the incupying o n p it 1 pective t p bar of said 9 ars on a ell a th plan n t e an inte ediate se tio an a ges epe dent elation lieret from th sides th of, oh saidt bars hav g t (is to ing tor ed 'tsi ter ediate section reari hei l Ward 0 and spa fro t end of the bar, the s d fingers intermediate sec '0 of e of said top b rs havnd arranged ing a to gue ext ion, e top bars having also holes, in he openings in alig ent h each othe when the active top bars intermediate se t ns t ere f a d their tongru nneceed and m extensions are in prop co n ctive relation t 5 thereof ma hoohpassed throu s id aligned enin spectfw bear whereby the sha k of e ook will b rnbrace by sai tongue extensio s, hook hav a shai 9 Combination passed through said align openings ween t parate top bars com ends oi the int rrnediate sectio oi the top ba tt bar and said ok havi al parts including a toot n my, tt each senting sena e be rings overlying nd undei channened hav ing, r nectiv y, the resp et'we ends to he in wi h flanges dependmediate sect s of the top bar he eb the! each of aid t b will be held n place an the top bars in pr 5 intermediate section coniunctive relati thereto hen the top cm the n i t bar, are c nnected an he ends 0 the interme assed between the end sections thereof in pla e to e age s ol; having, edge, a foot specti e bearings, d fingers u tanding which t e res ective insaid foot adapte nd arranged, espectiv top b have bearing s5 through 5 res ectiv hol 1n the avin rts presenting ediate sectio the to ars ereby speotively, e to ars will be no ted and he e d5 to th the r s ecti top bars ediate secti reoi aintarned in the beari gs p esen e 15 ment with sai ctive bearings. 

